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Colossians 2
Easy-to-Read Version
Colossians 2
Easy-to-Read Version
2 I want you to know that I am trying very hard to help you. And I am trying to help those in Laodicea and others who have never seen me. 2 I want them to be strengthened and joined together with love and to have the full confidence that comes from understanding. I want them to know completely the secret truth that God has made known. That truth is Christ himself. 3 In him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are kept safe.
4 I tell you this so that no one can fool you by telling you ideas that seem good, but are false. 5 Even though I am far away, my thoughts are always with you. I am happy to see your good lives and your strong faith in Christ.
Continue to Follow Christ Jesus
6 You accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, so continue to live following him. 7 You must depend on Christ only, drawing life and strength from him. Just as you were taught the truth, continue to grow stronger in your understanding of it. And never stop giving thanks to God.
8 Be sure you are not led away by the teaching of those who have nothing worth saying and only plan to deceive you. That teaching is not from Christ. It is only human tradition and comes from the powers that influence[a] this world. 9 I say this because all of God lives in Christ fully, even in his life on earth. 10 And because you belong to Christ you are complete, having everything you need. Christ is ruler over every other power and authority.
11 In Christ you had a different kind of circumcision, one that was not done by human hands. That is, you were made free from the power of your sinful self. That is the kind of circumcision Christ does. 12 When you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and you were raised up with him because of your faith in God’s power. God’s power was shown when he raised Christ from death.
13 You were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self. But God gave you new life together with Christ. He forgave all our sins. 14 Because we broke God’s laws, we owed a debt—a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross. 15 He defeated the rulers and powers of the spiritual world. With the cross he won the victory over them and led them away, as defeated and powerless prisoners for the whole world to see.
Don’t Follow Rules That People Make
16 So don’t let anyone make rules for you about eating and drinking or about Jewish customs (festivals, New Moon celebrations, or Sabbath days). 17 In the past these things were like a shadow that showed what was coming. But the new things that were coming are found in Christ. 18 Some people enjoy acting as if they are humble and love to worship angels.[b] They always talk about the visions they have seen. Don’t listen to them when they say you are wrong because you don’t do these things. It is so foolish for them to feel such pride, because it is all based on their own human ideas. 19 They don’t keep themselves under the control of the head. Christ is the head, and the whole body depends on him. Because of Christ all the parts of the body care for each other and help each other. So the body is made stronger and held together as God causes it to grow.
20 You died with Christ and were made free from the powers that influence this world. So why do you act as if you still belong to the world? I mean, why do you follow rules like these: 21 “Don’t eat this,” “Don’t taste that,” “Don’t touch that”? 22 These rules are talking about earthly things that are gone after they are used. They are only human commands and teachings. 23 These rules may seem to be wise as part of a made-up religion in which people pretend to be humble and punish their bodies. But they don’t help people stop doing the evil that the sinful self wants to do.
Footnotes
- Colossians 2:8 powers that influence Or “elementary rules of.” Also in verse 20.
- Colossians 2:18 worship angels Or “worship with angels” (that they see in visions).
Colossians 2
New Life Version
Colossians 2
New Life Version
The Christian Is Complete in Christ
2 I want you to know how hard I have worked for you and for the Christians in the city of Laodicea and for those who have never seen me. 2 May their hearts be given comfort. May they be brought close together in Christian love. May they be rich in understanding and know God’s secret. It is Christ Himself. 3 In Christ are hidden all the riches of wisdom and understanding. 4 I tell you this so no one will try to change your mind with big sounding talk. 5 Even if I am far away from you in body, I am with you in spirit. I am happy to learn how well you are getting along. It is good to hear that your faith is so strong in Christ. 6 As you have put your trust in Christ Jesus the Lord to save you from the punishment of sin, now let Him lead you in every step. 7 Have your roots planted deep in Christ. Grow in Him. Get your strength from Him. Let Him make you strong in the faith as you have been taught. Your life should be full of thanks to Him.
Wisdom of the World Is Empty
8 Be careful that no one changes your mind and faith by much learning and big sounding ideas. Those things are what men dream up. They are always trying to make new religions. These leave out Christ. 9 For Christ is not only God-like, He is God in human flesh. 10 When you have Christ, you are complete. He is the head over all leaders and powers. 11 When you became a Christian, you were set free from the sinful things of the world. This was not done by human hands. You were set free from the sins of your old self by what was done in Christ’s body. 12 When you were baptized, you were buried as Christ was buried. When you were raised up in baptism, you were raised as Christ was raised. You were raised to a new life by putting your trust in God. It was God Who raised Jesus from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins, you were not set free from the sinful things of the world. But God forgave your sins and gave you new life through Christ. 14 We had broken the Law many ways. Those sins were held against us by the Law. That Law had writings which said we were sinners. But now He has destroyed that writing by nailing it to the cross. 15 God took away the power of the leaders of this world and the powers of darkness. He showed them to the world. The battle was won over them through Christ.
Watch for Those Who Want to Keep the Law
16 Do not let anyone tell you what you should or should not eat or drink. They have no right to say if it is right or wrong to eat certain foods or if you are to go to religious suppers. They have no right to say what you are to do at the time of the new moon or on the Day of Rest. 17 These things are a picture of what is coming. The important thing is Christ Himself. 18 Do not let anyone rob you of your crown. They will try to get you to bow down in worship of angels. They think this shows you are not proud. They say they were told to do this in a dream. These people are proud because of their sinful minds. 19 Such people are not a part of Christ. Christ is the Head. We Christians make up His body. We are joined together as a body is held together. Our strength to grow comes from Christ.
20 You have died with Christ and become dead to those old ways. Then why do you follow the old ways of worship? Why do you obey man-made rules? 21 These rules say, “You must not put your hand on this.” “Do not put this into your mouth.” “You must not put your finger on that.” 22 All these things come to an end when they are used. You are following only man-made rules. 23 It looks as if it is wise to follow these rules in an act of worship, because they are hard on the body. It looks as if they are done without pride, but they are worth nothing. They do not take away a man’s desire to sin.
Colosenses 2
Nueva Versión Internacional
Colosenses 2
Nueva Versión Internacional
2 Quiero que sepan qué gran lucha sostengo por el bien de ustedes y de los que están en Laodicea, y de tantos que no me conocen personalmente. 2 Quiero que lo sepan para que cobren ánimo, permanezcan unidos por amor, y tengan toda la riqueza que proviene de la convicción y del entendimiento. Así conocerán el misterio de Dios, es decir, a Cristo, 3 en quien están escondidos todos los tesoros de la sabiduría y del conocimiento. 4 Digo esto para que nadie los engañe con argumentos que parecen convincentes. 5 Aunque estoy físicamente ausente, los acompaño en espíritu, y me alegro al ver su buen orden y la firmeza de su fe en Cristo.
Libertad en Cristo
6 Por eso, de la manera que recibieron a Cristo Jesús como Señor, vivan ahora en él, 7 arraigados y edificados en él, confirmados en la fe como se les enseñó y llenos de gratitud.
8 Cuídense de que nadie los cautive con la vana y engañosa filosofía que sigue tradiciones humanas, la que está de acuerdo con los principios[a] de este mundo y no conforme a Cristo.
9 Porque toda la plenitud de la divinidad habita en forma corporal en Cristo; 10 y en él, que es la cabeza de todo poder y autoridad, ustedes han recibido esa plenitud. 11 Además, en él fueron circuncidados, no por mano humana, sino con la circuncisión que consiste en despojarse del cuerpo pecaminoso. Esta circuncisión la efectuó Cristo. 12 Ustedes la recibieron al ser sepultados con él en el bautismo. En él también fueron resucitados mediante la fe en el poder de Dios, quien lo resucitó de entre los muertos.
13 Antes de recibir esa circuncisión, ustedes estaban muertos en sus transgresiones. Sin embargo, Dios nos[b] dio vida en unión con Cristo, al perdonarnos todos los pecados 14 y anular la deuda[c] que teníamos pendiente por los requisitos de la Ley. Él anuló esa deuda que nos era adversa, clavándola en la cruz. 15 Desarmó a los poderes y a las autoridades y, por medio de Cristo,[d] los humilló en público al exhibirlos en su desfile triunfal.
16 Así que nadie los juzgue a ustedes por lo que comen, beben o con respecto a días de fiesta religiosa, de luna nueva o de sábado. 17 Todo esto es una sombra de las cosas que están por venir; la realidad se halla en Cristo. 18 No dejen que les prive de esta realidad ninguno de esos que presumen fingiendo humildad y adoración de ángeles. Los tales hacen alarde de lo que han visto y, envanecidos por su razonamiento humano, 19 no se mantienen firmemente unidos a la Cabeza. Por la acción de esta, todo el cuerpo, sostenido y ajustado mediante las articulaciones y los ligamentos, va creciendo como Dios quiere.
20 Si con Cristo ustedes ya han muerto a los principios de este mundo, ¿por qué, como si todavía pertenecieran al mundo, se someten a preceptos tales como 21 «no tomes en tus manos, no pruebes, no toques»? 22 Estos preceptos, basados en reglas y enseñanzas humanas, se refieren a cosas que van a desaparecer con el uso. 23 Tienen sin duda apariencia de sabiduría, con su afectada devoción, falsa humildad y severo trato del cuerpo, pero de nada sirven frente a los apetitos de la carne.[e]
Footnotes
- 2:8 los principios. Alt. los poderes espirituales, o las normas; también en v. 20.
- 2:13 nos. Var. les.
- 2:14 la deuda. Lit. el pagaré.
- 2:15 por medio de Cristo. Alt. mediante la cruz.
- 2:23 En contextos como estos la palabra griega para carne (sarx) se refiere a la naturaleza pecaminosa de los seres humanos, a menudo presentada en oposición al Espíritu.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
New Life Version (NLV)
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Nueva Versión Internacional (NVI) 
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